


American Dream - {GTA IV}

by FreshPrinceOfLosSantos



Category: Grand Theft Auto IV
Genre: Immigration & Emigration, Liberty City, NYC, New York City, Other, gta iv, lc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-30 11:34:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10875936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreshPrinceOfLosSantos/pseuds/FreshPrinceOfLosSantos
Summary: { The third book in the 'Before Liberty City Stories' Series}{ Sequal to 'War Of One' and "Army of Me'}Roman's life thus far has been one full of pain and suffering. When he travels to the United States to start a new life, he finds himself lost upon arrival. But tempted to make a better life for himself, he takes his new life head-on. It's time to live the American Dream





	1. Fresh Off The Boat

The boat was crowded, if it wasn't so big, the ocean liner could have been mistaken for a refugee raft. Roman sat in the corner of a small room he shared with three other men. It was 1998, he'd taken the money his mother had gave him before she died, and saved some of his own and he was finally on his way to America. 

A voice came over the PA system, somebody spoke in Russian. When the voice had finished speaking, the cheers of people down the halls. Roman was confused. "What did he say?" He asked one of the Russian travellers in the room. He spoke to him in English.

The man puffed on his cigarette. "'We'll be arriving at Hove Beach Docks in just under five minutes' or something." The man croaked. Roman nodded, he didn't understand all of what the man said but he got some of it. He could understand that he was almost there. It had taken days to cross an entire ocean, but it was the last five minutes, thank God.

The ocean liner pulled into the dock, it was late, maybe 10:30 pm. The men, women and children from every other shitty war-torn country in eastern Europe hurried off to meet family members and distant friends who wait for them on the ground below. 

Roman hesitated, for there was nothing for him down there. He looked out the tiny window in his room down at all the people who were getting in cars and driving off to hotels, friend's homes and community housing. But not Roman, Roman had nothing.

When mostly everyone had left and it was just the crew who were cleaning up after everyone else left, Roman decided to get his things and get off the boat before he was thrown off by the captain. He trotted down the stairs, holding only one suitcase with his most important things in it. Everything else he'd have to get here, he'd have to start over. 

Roman got off the boat, he walked onto the street, even the ground felt weird. The city was cold but heat radiated from off the ground, as the sun had been shining on it all day. The sun almost never shone back home. 

The ground was also damp from a light sun shower early that day. The city was quiet, but nowhere near as quiet as it had been at home. Liberty City, the city that never slept.

Now that he was here, Roman hadn't the foggiest idea as what he was to do next. He put down his suitcase and sat in the gutter, he put his head in his hands and breathed deeply. Roman missed his family, if they weren't dead they were many many miles away. He was all alone in a big city with nowhere to go.

Roman was pretty small, only 5'7 and around 140 lbs. His clothes were too big for him and his hair was overgrown. He sat on the kerb for several minutes, until a car pulled up and beeped its horn. Roman jumped with surprise before terror took over him as he was worried the man in the car had come to take him.

"What are you doing there, boyo?" A man yelled from the driver's seat of the car in a thick Broker accent. Reminiscent of the ones Roman would hear in Movies when he was young.

"Uh," he hesitated. "I don't know. I have nowhere to go." He said to the man.

He smiled. "Get in buddy," Roman got up off the kerb and got in the backseat of his car.

"Is this a kidnapping?" Roman half-joked. The man laughed.

"No, this is a taxi." The man said.

"Oh, I have money," Roman said digging through his pocket. 

"Wait until we get their kid," The man laughed driving off. The two of them sat in silence for a while, it only being broken by the sound of the driver yelling at someone who was driving like a lunatic. The driver told Roman that that was common in this city. "So, you're probably wanting a job here." The man said

"Uh, yeah," Roman said softly. 

"You really didn't think this through did you? What exactly were you expecting would happen when you arrived?"

"Uh, I guess I never thought about it. I figured whatever it was it'd be better than home."

"I get you, kid, I was like you once. I moved from New Alderney and into the big city with fifty dollars in my bank account and nowhere to turn. I made my way up from the bottom. You can sleep in my garage for ten bucks a week. it may sound pricey but I do have a nice garage."

Roman laughed. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah, you see. I own a taxi depot in town. Got these two guys working for me, and this new chick. Just dropped out of high school, some Latin American girl from The Bohan. The three of them like you pretty lost in this world. Tell you what, I'll lower your rent id you can work for me. Can you drive?

"Uh, yeah," Roman replied, he wasn't good but he could drive.

"Fantastic!" The man said, "Where just pulling up now." The guy pulled the taxi into the depot which was on a situated on a dodgy looking street in a dodgy looking neighbourhood just outside of Dukes. "Here she is!" The guy said jumping out of the car. "You better get some sleep, kid. We have a big day tomorrow."

"I suppose so." Roman laughed. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Steve, you?"

"Uh, Roman."

"I like it! Very exotic, just like your accent. Are you Russian?"

"Serbian, well, kind of. My grandfather was Bosnian, hence the last name." 

"Is that anywhere near Russia?"

"Uh, kind of." he laughed.

Steve shrugged. "Oh well, this has been fun." The man got back into the car and drive home, leaving Roman by himself in an empty garage.

"This is the life," he said sarcastically, sitting down on the concrete floor. "Fucking fantastic."


	2. Breakfast Of champions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman experiences luxuries that weren't available when he lived in Serbia

Roman awoke at 6:00 am the next morning to the sound of cars revving their engines and the army morning banter of two Polish men. He squinted as he opened his eyes for the first time on American soil. His back ached from sleeping on the floor. The two men spoke loudly amongst each other, both sipping coffee by a car that belonged to the business.

"And I say to his guy, the fuck you mean you can't pay until next Friday?" One of the Pole's said.

"It's disgraceful, Antoni." The other one said in a similarly angered tone. "Tell you what, we shalt be doing business with him again!"

Roman stumbled to his feet, stretching as he got up. He was starving, he hadn't eaten a thing since 1.00pm the previous day. He groaned and rolled his neck until it cracked slightly.

"Adam, who the fuck is that?" One of the Polish men said.

"It looks like someone new has washed up on the shores of Hove Beach!" The other man said walking towards Roman.

"I swear to God, they're all from the same province."

"Antoni, you can't talk we were like him once."

"This is true." Roman didn't know what to say, he's just woke up and he was a.ready being cornered by a coup,e of Polish Immigrants.

"Where's Steve?" He managed to get out between yawns.

"Steve is busy." One of the men said.

The sound of Roman's stomach rumbling echoed through the garage. "Woo, Jesus my man. You are one hungry bastard."

"Adam, we should take the newbie out for a good old fashioned, American breakfast."

"Antoni, you never fail to impress me."

Roman got his sight back, he blinked several times to focus on the two men standing in front of him. They were both blonde, pale and thin. They both wore track suits, not matching but definitely the same brand. They looked so similar Roman wouldn't be surprised if they were brothers. He took a moment to recount what had happened. The men wanted to take him out for a meal, he had been in America for eight hours and he was already being taken under the wing of some Polish men.

"I could go for a bite to eat," Roman mumbled.

"Excellent," one of the men clapped. "We should probably go now if we want to get a good table." The two polish men got into the car, one took the wheel, the other the passenger's seat. They motioned for Roman to jump in the back, once he did. They ed off out of the garage and isn't to streets of downtown Broker.

"Steve wasn't kidding when he said everyone in LC drives like a madman."

"Ha, it's true Antoni, you do drive like a madman." One of the Polish men said

"You need to shut up before I drop you by the side of the road!" The other man said. He murmured something in his native language.

"Toni, you know I hate it when you call me that." The other man laughed.

In an effort to change the subject, Roman spoke up before things could get more heated. "So, Where are you guys taking me?"

"We are taking you to a wear house where we will chop you up into small pieces and sell said pieces on the black market." One of the men said.

Roman panicked. "What?"

"Adam, you asshole. The man is new in the country, he doesn't get the twisted American scene of humour." The man who drives snapped at his friend. "I apologise for that."

"Oh, it's fine," Roman said trying to play off his fear as if he hadn't really been afraid.

"We are going to this nice little cafe not far from my apartment. They do a fantastic breakfast. Although it is quite pricey so Adam and me usually only go when we have someone to take with us, so we can flash our wealth and what not."

"Oh," Roman said.

"I'm joking, friend. We work minimum wage driving tight-asses Russians from one fancy club to another." The driver clarified.

"You're not like those other Russians right? You're cool right?" The other man asked.

"I'd like to think I'm cool," Roman said. "And I'm not Russian."

"Thank god," The driver remarked. "I've never met a Russian who wasn't an asshole."

"Antoni, that's racist." The other man joked, the driver punched him in the arm. The man winced with pain, however, he still laughed all the same.

When the three of the, parked the car in the street and were eventually seated in the cafe. They were given their menus and Roman found himself struggling. "How are you going there Kiddo?" One of the men asked.

"Uh, I." Roman tried to explain his situation, although he was embarrassed."I can't read too well."

"Oh dear." One of the men laughed. "You really are a Fob." Roman blushed slightly as the two men chuckled. "Forget the menu, what do you want?"

"I'm not sure." Roman thought aloud. "You know, the last time I had some fresh fruit, I was eight years old. I'd really like some now."

"We'll look no further pal. You're in America now, no war and very few communists. Best place on earth."

"Truly?" Roman asked innocently.

"Oh hell yes, come on. We'll buy you all the fruit you want." Antoni got out his wallet.

"Oh, there is really no need," Roman said, but before he could explain to his new Polish friend that he had money he has already called over a waiter.

"Good sir, I'll take fried eggs with bacon for my friend here," He said motioning to the other man, "I'll take the pancakes, it's my cheat day. And for the young man, an entire pineapple!" The waiter nodded and headed back into the kitchen.

Roman was astonished. "They can give us a whole one?" He asked

"Why the hell not? It's America you can have whatever you want if you pay for it." The man said leaning back in his chair. "I never got your name, kid."

"Oh, of course. It's Roman." He said.

"Interesting. Well, I'm Antoni and this is Adam. He's not my brother if you were wondering, it's just that all Pole's look the same."

Roman chuckled. "It's nice to meet you both."

"Where are you from, Roman?" Adam asked.

"Serbia," Roman answered.

"I never knew anyone from Serbia, what about you Toni"

"No, never."

"Last name?" 

"Bellic," Roman answered. "B E L L I C."

"You pronounce it with an 'ICK'?" Antoni asked.

"Yeah, I thought all the 'I C' Serbian names were pronounced 'ITCH'." Adam chimed in.

"Oh yeah, my grandfather was Bosnian," Roman explained

"Uh, I see. I'm guessing you fled here to escape the war." Antoni remarked.

"Yeah, I lost a lot of people when the war broke out, My mum and dad died in a house fire, my cousin Fillip was blown up my a land mine. My friends were all bombed and the ones who were not, joined the army, like my other cousin Niko. I was left all alone. But now I'm here. And I'm about to eat a whole pineapple by myself!" Roman cheered.

The two men laughed. "You really do amuse me Bellic, honestly."


	3. Pretty Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day on the job

The sweet taste of fresh pineapple lingered on his lips, for the first time in fifteen years, Roman had eaten until he couldn't anymore. "Oh my god," He groaned, rubbing his stomach. The two Polish men laughed.

'You weren't kidding, you really haven't had a good meal in a long time." Antoni said.

"If you think that was good, wait until lunch." Adam added, "Steve always orders Cluckin' Bell."

"What's that?" Roman asked, sitting up in his chair. the muscles in his stomach contracting.

"Chicken," Adam explained. "Fried chicken, the best kind."

Roman sometimes had chicken back home, never fried, though. And when there was chicken on the table it was always a very small amount, regardless it was always tasty.

"We should get back," Antoni said looking at his watch. "The cab is on a schedule." He chugged the rest of his coffee and got up to pay the bill. The three of them got back in the car and drove back to the depot. The driving hadn't improved either. Adam sang loudly along to a polish radio station, this annoyed Antoni but rather amused Roman. When they returned Steve was waiting for them, he looked angry.

Adam jumped out of the cab, "Steve my man! Good to see you! Had a good morning?"

"You're late asshole." Steve snapped. "Where have you been?"

"We went for breakfast," Adam replied innocently. "We wanted to show Roman around."

"Roman?" Steve said. "Who the fuck is Roman."

"You know, boss. That guy you brought in last night?"

Steve thought about it, he didn't remember anything that happened last night. "Man," He said, "I've got to stop drinking." Steve turned around and went back into his office. Adam gave the all clear and Antoni parked the car up, Roman jumped out. He was wearing the same clothes that he had left his country in and he was starting to smell.

"Mallorie, can you get me a coffee, sweetheart?" Steve yelled from inside of his office.

"Of course, Stevie." A woman's voice yelled back from another office inside the complex. She had a very sexy voice, a nice mix between Latin American and South Bohan. Roman heard the clunking of high heels across wooden floors.

Roman watched as a beautiful woman walked out of an office towards the coffee machine on the other side of the depot. She had long brown hair which she had put in a high ponytail, she had glasses, clear skin and beautiful plump lips. She was very short, she wore giant high heeled boots that went to her knees and she was still several inches smaller than Roman, who was short himself.

He watched her bend over to make the coffee, she was gorgeous, every inch of her was stunning, wide hips, slim waist, large breasts. She was a Puerto Rican Goddess. She was young, only eighteen and she caught his eye and smiled at him. She finished preparing the coffee and took it to Steve, her hips swayed slightly as she walked. She was nothing like the girls back home. Roman heart pumped heavily until she disappeared into the office block.

"Roman!" steve yelled, he snapped back into reality. "I need you to get in the car and drive to the old home improvements store in town. You need to pick up some guys for me. Do you know where I'm talking about?"

"No," Roman said quickly. He didn't know where anything was, he couldn't even remember the route they had taken to get to the breakfast place earlier today.

"Not a problem," Steve said getting into the front seat of one of the taxi. "I'll set up the satnav, it'll direct you to where you need to be," Steve reassured him. "Now come on kid, where losing light!"

Roman got in the taxi, he didn't have an American driver license and he hadn't driven for several months but he was relatively confident. He turned the key and the engine purred to life. "Good luck kid," Steve said through the car's open window. "Come straight back after you drop em off and don't fucking crash." Roman nodded before driving off.

In Liberty City, there are a lot of people yelling at each other, honking their car horns and speeding. Roman tried to listen to the sound of the satnav telling him where to turn over the lound sounds of Liberty City. Roman tried his hardest to navigate through the busy LC streets, every time he came close to denting the car he panicked. Eventually the satnav informed him he had arrived at his destination.

Roman parked up in front of the home improvements store and waited patiently. He'd only been in America for a couple of hours and he had already been dragged into the world that was modern America. Roman did tend to worry a lot and this morning was no exemption, he seemed to have found himself in a really dodgy part of Hove Beach, he didn't like the look of the place and he decided to lock all the doors until further notice.

Although Roman was terrified that he'd be jumped by some gangsters, or worse that this while cab driving gig had just been a set up for some mobsters to kidnap a poor young man who just wanted to make it big in LC. Roman, being an optimist tried to think on the bright side, he forced himself to see this job as an opportunity for great things.

Roman really missed his family, which was now just his cousin and aunt and nobody else, but at least it was something. He had very little in America, he liked to think that Steve, Adam and Antoni were his friends but even that might turn out to be false, but in that moment, Roman felt as though he was ready to begin his life in Liberty City.

At just this moment, his passengers exited that store, three men, all Albanian. They approached the car. Don't let them see how terrified you are, Roman the man thought to himself. One of the men knocked hard on the window to the cab, suggesting to Roman he should open the doors and let the men in. He did.

"Fuckin' finally!" One of the men said in a thick LC accent. "I was getting rather impatient." He slid into the backseat of the car, his friend joined him on the other side.

"Can you take us to Dukes, we live on Huntington Street, Cerveza Heights, next to the Cluckin' Bell." He said as he wound down the window. Roman wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Yes, of course." He said as he started the car again. The extra weight in the car made it even more difficult for Roman to drive, he kept his eyes on the road and tried his best to concentrate.

"I ain't ever seen you before kid. I must have been catching one of Stevie's taxis every day for the past three years. You knew here or somethin'?"

Roman swallowed. "Uh, yeah I just moved here from Europe." He said.

"I figured. Everyone in Hove beach is from somewhere in Europe. Mainly Russia, but you know you got your Poles, your Serbs, Bosnians, Croatians, Albanians, Macedonians, the Maltese. All around that area really, but like I said, mostly Russians.

"I met some Poles this morning," Roman said softly.

"Uh, that'd be Adam and Toni, right? They're much chattier than you are, kid."

"So? You guys are doing home improvements?" Roman asked trying to spark further conversation with them, for that seemed to be what was expected of him.

"Huh?" One of the guys asked.

"Well, you know. The home improvement store. I just though-"

"Ah I see, no friend. That place hasn't been in business for years. We play cards there."

"Oh, I never would have guessed," Roman said

The men laughed. "Yeah, it's a pretty underground organisation." He handed Roman a business card. "Maybe you could come and play with us sometime? You seem like a good kid." Roman took the card, still trying to keep his eyes on the road.

"Okay, yeah. I might stop by." He said as he put the card in his pants pocket. "Now, which way is Dukes?"


	4. Oo La La

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day one in America comes to a close

Roman's afternoon was spent counting the money he had made from driving those guys home earlier today. He had only been in America a few days and he was already money hungry. It's true what they say. This place really changes you. Roman looked up at Steve who had just finished taking a phone call from a customer. "Why have you done this to me?" Steve looked at him funny, Roman realised that his broken English made the question seem like it had come from a place of malice. "Uh, I mean. Why did you help me?"

Steve then smiled as he sat up in his chair. "You see kid, I was like you once. When I was nine years old my family moved here from Alderney. My family came with nothing, and the city gave us everything. Nobody was denied opportunity, everyone had a fair go. My father found work, my mother went back to school, and I got the education I needed to become a bloody good business man. I feel like I have to give back to this city and the people who arrive here. You deserve a chance, Toni and Adam, they packed up everything and moved here from Poland on a whim, they deserved a chance. Mallorie, her family escaped poverty in Puerto Rico only to find poverty in The Bohan, she deserved a chance. I don't know your story Bellic, or what life was like for you back home. But you should know that you've got to stay grand. You won't survive the night in LC without optimism."

Roman nodded. "So I suppose you're like my mentor now. You'll show me what it takes to make it in America?"

Steve smiled. "That's exactly what this is, boy. I'm glad you've been paying attention." It was as this moment that the doors to the office came swinging open. Toni and Adam stepped through, each man holding a large greasy paper bag.

"We come bearing gifts of fried chicken!" Toni sang as he put the bag of chicken on Steve's desk.

"Alright, keep it down." Steve groaned as he opened the paper bag. The polish men took a seat on the couch in Steve's office. "I apologise on their behalf," Steve said to Roman who just smiled. "But at the same time, I know the shy, calm young man you are showing me now won't last long. Liberty City will bring you right out of your shell. A few weeks from now, you won't be able to shut up."

Adam laughed with a face full of chicken. "It's true." He admitted. "In Poland, it was always do this do that, don't speak and keep your head down. But America is just one big funhouse."

"Too much fun is going to get you both in trouble." Steve frowned. The men laughed. "Mr Bellic, promise me you'll be keeping the fun to a minimum during the working week won't you."

Roman shrugged. "Alright, sure."

Steve smiled as he opened the brown paper bag. "Good, kid." Steve smiled. "Here, Roman. Take some chicken." Steve passed a piece to Roman.

"Oh no. I'm still full from breakfast." Roman responded.

Adam made a strange sound with his tongue between his lips. "Bullshit, all you ate was pineapple."

"It was more than I'd eaten in the last year," Roman said softly. The room went quiet. Steve threw a plastic cup at Adam's head for making the aura depressing before bending down to talk to Roman.

"Listen, kid," Steve said softly back to Roman. "This isn't whatever dump of a country you came from. This is America. In America you eat when you are hungry, you sleep when the sun goes down and you don't take shit from anyone else. This is the beginning of the rest of your life. That part of your life is over. You're free here." Roman smiled at the floor. "Now, take this chicken and enjoy your new life."

Roman fix what Steve had said. He picked the chicken up with his right hand and brought it to his mouth. He felt the oil on his skin before he took a bite. Once had had a strong feeling came over him. "Oh." Roman moaned slightly.

Adam and Toni burst out laughing. "Looks like we've taken Romans fast food virginity," Toni called before continuing o laugh and cheer.

Steve raised a chicken leg in the air. "To America, where nobody will ever go hungry. For as long as they shall live."

Adam and Toni raised a piece of chicken in the air as well. "Amen." They said in unison. The four of them got stuck into their food.

~

An hour of eating and talking had passed. Roman was now so full he couldn't move. He was slumped over on Steve's desk, resting his head in his arms, looking to the window and watching the sun go down. He was only half listening to the conversation going on around him. But when he heard his name, he turned in. "Oh and that reminds me." Steve had said. "Roman?"

Roman tried to sit up the best as he could given the weight up his stomache was holding him down. "Yes?" He said quickly.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, so Adam and Toni aren't working. This means you'll be driving any and all calls we get tomorrow. I wouldn't worry. Sunday's are usually pretty quiet."

"Roman driving all Sunday?" Toni chimed in. "That sound like trouble." He laughed.

"And speaking of trouble," Adam smirked as he watch the top of the staircase that lead from Steve office up into another office. "Here she comes now."

"Ha, real funny Adam." A woman's voice said from the stairs, the clicking of high heeled boots echoed her as she descended the stairs. "Good evening, boys." She said as she walked over to steve's desk and started rummaging through a paper bag.

"Hey, Mal." Toni greeted with a wicked smile on his face. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey." She teased. She ended up grabbing everything that was left in the paper bag before turning to go up the stairs again. "I'm taking all of this." She announced as she began to climb the stairs. "Goodbye all." she called. Adam, Toni and Steve all said goodbye back. Roman didn't say anything, although her eyes still met his. She blushed slightly, and waved nervously goodbye to him. Roman waved back. She turned away quickly, he could see she was smiling. she hurried back up the stairs and shut the door to the upstairs office behind her.

"Oo, la la!" Adam teased, as he poked Roman in the ribs. He flinched. "The last time I smelt so much sexual tension I was watching a porno."

"Adam, can you shut the fuck up?" Steve demanded.

Adam through hs hands up to surrender. "Sorry, sir."

"Leave Mr Bellic alone, he barely speaks English and doesn't know where the fuck he is 90% of the rime." The polish men laughed. Adam placed a hand on Romans shoulder.

"Sorry dude, I didn't mean anything by it. But I'll be damed if she doesn't go home and touch herself to the thought of you, kid." Roman slouched down in his chair and covered the lower half of his face with his jacket. He couldn't remember the last time he'd experience embarrassment like this.

Steve stood up. "You two need to go home, for fuck sake I cant stand the sound of your voices anymore." he frowned. Adam smirked.

"Fair enough. See you on Monday, kid." Toni said rustling Roman's hair. He was still trying to hide from everyone. Adam and Toni got in their cars and drove off home to wherever it was they lived. Steve began to clean up when the two of them were well and truly gone, he turned back to Roman.

"You alright, kid?" He asked

Roman nodded and slips the lower half of his face out from under his jacket. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Steve smiled. "Look, I'm sorry I made you sleep in the garage like you were a dog or something. You can sleep in the office. The night we met I was a little drunk. Not sure if you noticed."

Roman smiled. "No, I just thought you were friendly." Steve laughed.

"You're a good kid Bellic, you really are."


End file.
